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Secrets only get shown in the stats screen if the FM uses the official system. Before that was introduced a lot of FMs used a selfmade system.

You maintain it for FMs and I offer it for general use. The more people toying with the lamp the more feedback / support we may get. I noticed the lens part of the model is transparent. We need a modeler.

Thanks for playing and the kind feedback re: the bugs: the brew tank is a new one - thanks for that. Will add it to the list for any future update. the bow: I think that's a TDM bug. I experienced it as well, but only the early days of developing the mission so I thought it had gone away, but I guess not: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/21345-210-crashes-may-be-bow-frontend-acceleration-related/ the keys on the guard: never did get to the bottom of that one as I could never reproduce it.

To elaborate on that idea further, this would make "Version:" into a keyword, indicating the start of the block that could be ignored during display, and replaced by download info. That info would have to be locally persisted. I think the file "missions.tdminfo" already does this, but content would have to change somewhat (e.g., to include release date of locally downloaded FMs). Pre-release FMs could use whatever versioning scheme desired in darkmod.txt, e.g., "Version: 0.2", "Version: A", "Version: Dec 4", and rely on suppression of that when the official releases/updates occur. As with other keyword blocks, "Version:" could be in any order with respect to other blocks. If you didn't want this new display-override feature, use a non-keyword, e.g., "Vers #3". Just like "Version:" is treated currently. [An alternative implementation of this idea would just auto-edit the "Version:" block of darkmod.txt during upload to the distribution site. So all the change happens on the backend. Might be issues with site mirrors.]

Yeah I agree, one type of versioning would be best. I guess the problem is the dev team needs to control this, not the FM author because it's not always the author that does the releases (for example patching older FMs to work with newer versions of TDM). I'm not sure what the best solution is to be honest. I like the 'version' field because it's useful for beta testing and you can make it clear what version the testers are playing. But once it's released that field becomes useless. I'm sure it's been debated extensively already though. I think for my next FM I will just try and stick to integer version with the hope they will match! It just feels weird because it's not semantic versioning which I'm used to (but that's not a good excuse).

Thanks! Hint for the safe code here: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/21837-fan-mission-the-lieutenant-2-high-expectations-by-frost_salamander-20230424/&do=findComment&comment=485264 Actually, it's probably time I added these hints to the original post....

Thanks. Now, allow yourself to get hit by the blue (or orange) elemental, so you are transported, and send me that log. Actually, you could store out a save file and let me try to debug it on my machine. Go to <darkmod install>/fms/byanyothername/savegames and send me the <savename>.* files. Pick the save just before you get into the elemental section. That might be a more efficient way of debugging this. (You are using Version 2 of this mission, correct?)

The update to subtitles for The Lord vocal set ("Lord2") is now available, that makes use of the new -dx (durationExtend) feature of 2.12dev: testSubtitlesLord2.pk4 Corresponding Excel file - TheLord2Subtitles.xlsx As usual, the testing FM is used as the vehicle to distribute this update. Out of 390 subtitles (all of which are inline, no srt needed), the changes are as follows. Durations Extended 67 times, -dx was used to pad duration between 0.25 and 0.50 second (instead of default 0.20), calculated based on a presentation rate of 17 cps. The value of 0.50 was set as a cap by policy. When reached, it leads to a presentation rate higher than 17 cps. The cap is ignored if the presentation rate reaches the quite fast 20 cps. For Lord2, this occurred once (-dx 0.61, a value calculated for 20 cps presentation rate). This particular subtitle now is verbatim, unlike the original Lord subtitle release, where the text was shortened. Also for presentation rate reasons, leading optional "(...)" descriptors were dropped or shortened (1 case of each). In the spreadsheet, additional columns were added to help in the foregoing calculations. This will be documented when The Wench is released. Style Issues Capitalize leading 'Tis or 'Twas 14 times. Replace [...] with (...) for descriptors. Improvements for testSubtitles... FMs This applies to Lord2, forthcoming Thug2 and Wench releases, and later. In-game, the "Prev", "Again", and "Next" buttons are now twinned with a group of 3 more buttons labeled "Same but Quiet". As requested by @datiswous, these affect the cursub numeric counter without either playing an audio sound or showing its subtitle. The cursub counter (as an HUD overlay) shows itself more consistently, thanks to an implementation hack. Each subtitle appears in a field that is now Geep-standardized to a half-screen wide, compatible with a 42-char/line limit. This is done with an override of tdm_subtitles_common.gui, based upon a customization of TDM 2.11 code. (So it does not include visual indicators of AI location or speech volume found in recent 2.12dev's tdm_subtitles_common.gui).

I never realised Bill Gates was a member of these forums. Welcome to the community! I hope you enjoy The Dark Mod. Perhaps your Foundation could help pay for the server hosting or fund the development of some new features?

Thanks! The file paths thing is strange - might it be something on your end though? It's never been a problem for myself or any of the testers in any of the FMs I've done and they've all been distributed via Github. If I have to do an update I'll get you the file some other way, as the repack step just adds room for error.

A few more fun tidbits from my experiments poking ChatGPT's morality constraints. I'll keep it shorter since it's somewhat off-topic^2.

I didn't even know that TDM automatically updated the version number like that, but to call the multiple patches we've done on this "Verison 6" just isn't right. And it is certainly not in line with how other authors have updated their FMs in the past (i.e., 1.1, 1.2, 1.3., etc.) So yeah, we are just calling this version 2.

Version 2 is now in the Mission Database. As previously stated, the updater only knows when a version number goes up by a whole number so chances are the mission downloader won't signal you to update the mission. You will need to delete it from darkmod/fms ( or whatever_your_tdm_folder_is_named/fms ) and download it again.

I totally agree, with the caveat that at that point in the story I don't think Garrett was ready to entertain a serious relationship with anyone. (Regardless of the major chemistry obviously going on between those characters.) In all the Thief games, but T2 most of all, G is in survival mode, which he does by trying to detach himself from all reactive emotion and external allegiance. Retreating completely into himself. A huge part of the brilliance of those 3 stories is that characterization, because in each game he tries to detach and there are always points where his detachment breaks down. Little climaxes where his true nobility or vulnerability shines through. It's only at the end of the third game that he, and he alone of all the Keepers, properly figures it out: the essence of balance is detachment... not from the world, but from oneself. If Victoria had survived, G definitely would have pursued a relationship with her during and after the third game. Probably it would be a rather untamed, chaotic affair, but fun to speculate about for sure, and I think they could eventually work out some sort of stable arrangement. Maybe a bridge-between-worlds sort of deal like Ashitaka and San at the end of the movie Princess Mononoke. As things happened instead, I think I agree with the contention that Garrett would have great difficulty ever kindling a similar connection to any mortal woman. I don't think its impossible though, particularly after G properly settles into his role as a sage of balance, post TDS. It would be a journey for him and not something I think could be handled well off-screen as it were. Might be fun fodder for some FMs though... Hell, back to topic, that in itself might be a fun spiritual/actual sequel concept. Play alternating missions as a cynical night blade pagan woman, and a saw-way-too-much-sh** and-totally-over-everything city thief turned yogi mystic. They reluctantly team up, rib each other, save each other from perils, stop an apocalypse, and finally discover to their surprise they are in love.

The current working title is just The Dark Campaign. If you want a little backstory, the idea of this campaign was to introduce all of the major districts and factions of Bridgeport, and give a lot of lore about what's happening in the city and the world. So in that sense it's meant as a kind of ... not official campaign, but the kind of campaign laying down a lot of lore, faction, and setting information on which people can build FMs. But then the story started taking on a life of its own. The concept is the Empire is at war with their neighbors Menoa. In this world, Menoa is an Islamic or Ottoman-like empire counterpart, the Ghazis, to the Catholic-like Builders. (I understand the more official concept of Menoa is different, but either my concept is just different or I'd pick some other empire to do the job.) At the start, the Menoans have Bridgeport surrounded in siege, with constant flaming boulders periodically raining down. So our protagonist Khursand is Pakdamani, which is a counterpart to Persian Zoroasters, with his homeland now fully occupied & harassed by the Menoan Ghazis, although his family has already lived in Bridgeport for several generations, also harassed by Builders but at least not killed or forced to convert (yet). So he's kind of a natural opportunist, no friend of either side, but he speaks both languages of the Empire and Menoans and is willing to work with whoever pays. So the first mission, Shadow of Opportunity, opens with the Menoan district of Bridgeport, where Khursand lives, being walled up into a kind of ghetto to contain them. You've got Menoan friends that want you to help their resistance from the inside, starting with you getting some city plans to the army outside. But as you're getting out, one of the guards they paid off double-crosses you and turns you into the Bridgeport forces. But rather than just executing you, the general gives you the alternative option to work as a double agent on their behalf to bring back intelligence on the Menoan army and do some sabotage on their behalf, which you don't have much choice but to accept. (They're also holding his uncle that raised him hostage.) The next mission has you making contact with the Menoan army and already trying to please both sides in a dangerous tightrope walk, and the story goes on from there.

Thanks for the replies, gonna try those spoiler Tags again now for my short review (oh well it inserted one above my text now and I can't seem to delete it on mobile - this text editor is strange)

Just finished this mission and wow I gotta say in great honor to Grayman and of course the rest of the team picking it up, this was something I've never seen before in any other TDM mission, especially visually wise. I am so happy that grayson gave green light for other experienced mappers to finish his last mission. And what came out of this is really something special. I'll put my review in spoiler tags since I'm now referring to critical mission details. Edit - How do I put spoiler text here on mobile?? [spoiler] test [/spoiler][SPOILER] test [/SPOILER] [spoiler[spoiler [sfah

You can try my alternative footstep sounds package which addressed the things you described together with a lot of other footstep sounds both for player and AI if you want to. https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/17631-new-footstep-sounds/

Mods can this moved again? @Acolytesix- can you make sure you post in the beta thread instead of this one please (this one is public, the beta thread is only for logged-in forum members): https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/21822-beta-testing-high-expectations/

sure - I would only ask that you follow the thread to make sure you don't report stuff that has already been mentioned: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/21822-beta-testing-high-expectations/

I agree that listdefs as they are now are not useful to FM authors, because alteration of the C++ source code is needed. If there was some data array that was useful across FMs, then it might justify a collaboration to have C++ support it. For instance, I could imagine a generic fm_data_string_array, with read/write access, that you could associated with any FM-specific listdef. Don't have a clear idea here.

I have argued that the 2.10/2.11 implementations have field widths that are way too wide, unpopular with most subtitling orgs, and conflicting with TDM's corner inventory and weapon icons. So breaking backward compatibility now would be a good thing, before it's too late and too many FMs are subtitled targeting wide fields. But I can only suggest, and continue to make my bark subtitles fit in a less-wide field, taking into account sentence and phrasing breaks. Future automated text conversion update tools could be helpful.

They look more like MidJourney to me. This is easily one of the sharpest, most polished, imaginative, and generally well done TDM FMs I've played. I've spent hours in it, and as far as I can tell, there's only one thing left I'm concerned with that eludes me: Oblique, tangential hints are quite acceptable.

heh i was thinking the same though it might just have been a glitch when writing the names are pretty similar. But for correctness it is called the dark engine and the newer version that allows us to run these beauties on win10/11 is called newdark. newdark is kinda interresting as it just suddenly popped up on a french forum some time ago by an anonymous developer with the alias le corbeau who allegedly got his hands on the original source code and started updating it for modern OS. this was the original thread i believe -> https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140085 bikerdude was on that forum to when the patch hit i noticed hehe.

Okay, I had no idea, I have googled it up now and you are right, to my own surprise. Done, I´ve put some paragraphs which were previously not in spoiler tags into spoilers.